Okay, as I'm sure anyone who looks at my blog more than occasionally knows, I'm a huge fan of Marvel's current Captain America run. I read it as a kid as well in the 70s, started at the end of the Kirby run (which was insane fun! :)), read through the Bernie Rosenthal era, through the Diamonback era (yes, I'm categorizing Cap's book by his girlfriends). I always liked it. But it was never a top-tier favorite of mine--when you got down to it, I really preferred him in the Avengers book. Now, clearly, that is no longer the case.
The reason I picked up Captain America way back then was the same reason I started reading Iron Man, which is that I'm a character-focused comic fan. I enjoyed them both in Avengers so I checked them out on their own; when I found that those comics didn't suck, I kept getting them.
And I know this about myself. Heck, I can't even enjoy the current Legion of Superheroes book because they aren't really the same characters I grew up with. I only get Green Lantern when it features a particular Lantern I happen to find interesting. I'd seem naturally to be one of those folks who just quietly drop a title when they replace the main character with someone else. And, usually, I would have.
But it didn't happen this time. When Steve Rogers was killed, it never even occurred to me to stop reading.
And it's not because the book is so good, although it is. I ought to hate to admit it, but the quality of a comic probably isn't even in the top 5 reasons I buy it.
No, it's because by the time Steve Rogers was taken out of the book, a fair number of less central characters had been built up to the point where I'll follow them as well. I think Bucky/Winter Soldier has made a fascinating Captain America so far. But I'd also have kept getting the book if the Falcon had taken over the role. Or if Sharon had. Because those are two other characters who, thanks to many months of good development, could probably have carried the title as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment